Metro: Broken Clouds
by Akilis
Summary: The war for the Metro may be over for now, but things have never been worse for the people. The wars have distracted us all from the true problems, The Metro is falling down all around us mutants run rampant and people are starving. Not even D6 has the supplies to repair the entire Metro! Man will once again have to venture to the Surface in order to survive.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors notes: Hey so I decided to make a story on what I think would have happened after Metro Last Light. This is my first FF for quite a while so I'm easing my self back into things.**

**I hope to keep as true to the Metro Universe as possible whilst adding in my own ideas on what I think would work and make a great story. I hope you enjoy it and comments and constructive criticism are welcome. **

Metro: Broken Clouds

_Things changed after the battle of D6, in many cases not for the better. Although war was averted, and Korbuts plans where stopped in their tracks by the Spartans and the dark ones and peace fell upon the metro. We all thought that that everything would be okay and that things would go back to normal._

_All the peace did was give us a chance to finally see just how bad things had gotten down here in the dark. Mutants ran rampant in the outer lines So many routes had been destroyed due to war and lack of maintenance and all but the largest of stations where starving or on the brink of annihilation. Even with the wealth of D6 distributed it wasn't enough not even the nuclear reactor was enough to power the whole metro._

_People where sick the metro was falling down around us and it became evidently clear that we did not have the resources we needed sustain us. Riots cxame soon after they started in the Reich and quickly spread throughout the Hansa Ring stations then the Red line before finally erupting in Polis itself._

_It was quickly realised that D6 was rich but not rich enough to sustain the metro, something needed to be done. The Council convened not a month after the fateful conference to decide how to tackle an issue that threatened to bring down our very existence._

_No man liked to admit it but things where dire but the pride of man prevailed and the meeting achieved nothing but to open trade between all of the powers in the metro. A small victory at best a victory that left a sour taste in the mouths of Polis and the Order._

_It soon became evident that man had to venture back out into the wilderness of the world, a place that rejected the very thought of them; in order to survive._

Chance looked over the ruined cityscape of Moscow, it had an eary calm about it today, the red square was quite, still even something rarely seen. Not even a Daemon prowled the skies this morning looking for its breakfast. It left him feeling slightly isolated as he watched over it all sat on a ledge of Saint Basils Cathedral cradling his rifle.

He watched his breath spread out before him, and listened to the air being sucked through his filter all the while looking down at the forest that had grown over the red square, reclaimed by mother nature. It showed that man's legacy would not last when they where gone. Without some one to maintain the constructions and the machines and indeed other humans, would just crumble into ruin then dust.

Chance let out a bored sigh and peered down his rifles scope into the red square hoping to spot something move or even just to so spot some mutant corpse. Anything to relieve him of the boredom of standing watch.

The war may have been over but the damage had been done when Korbut assaulted D6. That day was still a fresh wound for him and many of his friends, he had lost several brothers and sisters that day. Not blood brothers but friends he thought just as fondly of as if they where blood related. Tensions still ran high between the Red Line and the Order whilst the Reds where free to move any where on the surface they where not welcome at Order outposts and where left to fend largely for themselves out in the wilderness. Something they where ill prepared for.

Chance leaned back pulling a cloth from his bread pocket and beginning to polish the wooden furniture of his rifle His rifle was a rare breed a weapon you saw only once in your life time. Sascha he named her, the Druganov was a piece of beauty and it deserved a name just as beautiful. Delicately he ran the cloth through the groves of his sniper rifle and over the polished wood.

"_Every lady should look their best eh Nikolai?"_

The gruff voice of Anton Kalinski almost caused Chance to fall from his perch into the red square below. Turning he smiled from behind his gas mask looking at the two cups of smoking tea a straw sticking out of both of them. The snow may have thawed mostly but it the air in many places still wasn't breathable and this high up the winds could still rip the skin from your face if you wernt to careful.

Accepting the cup he muttered his thanks before placing the straw into his mask. Taking a long sip and savouring the taste, it had been a long time since he had had proper tea. Hidden within the numerous stores of D6 where vaults and vaults of food stuffs Military Ration packs and all manner of treats. Tea being one of them, proper tea not the broth made from the wacky mushroom farmers but proper green leaf tea.

Anton sat beside him doing the same using the warm cup to warm his hands.

"_So anything interesting or just another day at the office?" _He asked almost enthusiastically. Anton was a tall wide shouldered man with a shaven head , he towered over Chance and was twice as wide as he was. To look at him he was a thug black mannered and uncaring, at least until you got to know him.

He was really one of the nicest people Chance had ever met and was smart to boot. He had admitted that once he had been as skinny as chance an office clerk for some big multi national bank and had been on his way to work on the metro when the bombs fell. When something like the apocalypse happens you either adapt or die Anton had told him once so when he found out that the missiles had fell and his home was gone he adapted got big so no one would mess with him and survived as best he could before stumbling upon the Order.

Chance had been busking in one of the outer stations near the suburbs, when the missiles fell he had watched Moscow burn for days after the initial attack the sky had ran as red as blood and the ash had stained is skin for weeks.

Eventually even he himself ventured below never expecting to sea the sky again. He looked behind him once more, the clouds where breaking again and for a moment he saw the blue of the sky and the suns rays fall down to earth.

"_Beautiful isnt it?" _He spoke aloud causing Anton to turn and watch as the clouds once again collided with each other.

"_A rare glimmer of hope for the future that is" _His partner and friend replied taking another sip through his straw.

"_Do you think one day the world might go back to normal... well I mean less fucked up?" _Chanced asked still watching as the last bits of blue sky where enveloped in grey by the clouds as they sped across the sky.

"_Who can say the snow is melting and the sun shines, sometimes ill take that as a good oman. Say did you here about Petyr and his squad?" _Anton asked stretching out his legs to work out the cramp.

"_No why?" _

"_I heard on the radio that they cleared a nest a few miles from here in some gasoline station." _Anton replied sounding almost giddy.

"_Yes and? Was probably just a ruin like the rest of the damned city." _Chance was fore ever hearing rumours about Rangers clearing out this building and finding hidden treasure troves. It was all largely bullshit made up to make everyone in the Metro feel a little better about their situation.

"_Aaaah Nikolai why be such a pessimist? You spend to much time up here on your perch you don't see nearly as much as you think you do. Ha... They found much and more my friend, they had to dig for hours to clear the wreckage but they found several garages locked and undisturbed and inside they found much and more... Dont believe me go downstairs my friend see for your self they are unloading a lot of it as we speak. Mostly tools but any blessing is a good blessing no?"_

Anton leaned back placing his hands behind his head, even from behind his gas mask he looked smug about the fact he knew something that Chance didn't. He had to admit he spent way to much time up in his nest but he preferred not to be in the thick of things he enjoyed the silence and skill of long range weapons. Something that was lost on Anton who liked nothing more than getting into the thick of things.

The two sat there for a long moment deep in their own thoughts considering what to do when their shift was over and they returned back to the metro for some much needed RnR and some fresh air. They wernt privileged enough to know the greater picture but soldiers talked to other soldiers and they knew that the Order was pushing further and further afield looking for resources. They for the moment at least had no shortage of timber the Red square was a forest and even now there where men moving through the growth pushing back the tree line and with it the mutants.

"_I hope they dont..."_

"_Shhhhh...!" _Shot to his feet grabbing the binoculars that sat on the ledge next to him, before darting to the window and looking to the sky.

"_What? What is it Anton what do you see!" _Chance looked out as well gripping his sniper rifle ready for anything to jump out at them. He only hoped it wasn't a daemon.

"_Do you not hear it?"_

"_No what is it?"_

"_A droning noise almost like a propeller engine." _Anton answered quietly still looking frantically out of the window

Chance went silent and listened and sure enough the drone was there it was faint but getting louder with every second he quickly began to scan the sky as the drone got louder and louder, and more distinguishable it was definitely a propeller plane of some description. Probably no larger than a two seater contraption.

"_There... There I see it! North by North east heading west! At 2 o'clock"_ Anton pointed and sure enough it was there a small speck in the sky, it wasn't coming towards them simply flying along in the distance heading west he pulled his rifle up and peered down the scope adjusting to get a better view of the aircraft.

"_Crazy fools!" _He muttered out loud. IT was almost a death sentence to fly these days not that any one had a plane to fly these days they wernt exactly easy acquirable and no one had parts to maintain them. Yet there it was, it was only a small thing no larger than a two seater like he had though but it was undeniably there and from someone not of the metro. No one had access to aircraft not that he knew of. The Order had always been the one that ventured mostly to the surface whilst the rest of the powers where content to sit below in the darkness.

"_Captain Gorbochev this is Rooster Nest do you read over?" _Anton had moved over to the radio and was franticly turning dials almost screaming down the radio. _"Captain do you Read over!"_

"_What is it Nest? Where busy down here!" _The even Gruffer voice of the outposts commander replied back finally obviously annoyed by the interruption.

"_We have a flyer Captain, god strike me down if im lying we have an aircraft in the sky! There are others out there!"_


	2. Chapter 2: Friends and Filters

**Authors notes: So I wanted to get this out before I go away this weekend so I apologise if these seems a little rushed. **

**Id also like to say not to worry this is going somewhere but Im a big fan of build up and character development the next chapters will be allot more interesting I promise.**

**Once again comments and constructive criticism is welcome.**

**I ****hope you enjoy**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2: Filters and Friends<strong>

"_Come now Anton! A Cessna?Are you kidding me it would be ripped apart by the winds and storms you cant possibly expect me to believe that it was a bit of debris caught in the wind nothing more." _Captain Gorbachev was a practical man he knew what he knew and didnt believe in fair tales or folk stories unless he saw them with his own eyes, and even then always tried to find an explainable reason for why they happened.

He stood there leaning on the two crates covered over with an old oak door that acted as his desk his knuckles turning white as he pressed his clinched fists against the hard wood. He was a big man, not as tall as Anton or as broad but his body was all muscle the veins in his arms bulged whilst he stared down Anton with worn grey eyes.

He was going grey despite his relatively young age, stress of the command Chance guessed as he stood back watching Anton plead his case to the commander.

"_Captain I saw it with my own eyes flying straight and level! Chance saw it to!"_ Anton turned to give him a pleading look now they where inside they had taken off their gas masks and Anton looked as if he was about to scream in frustration. "_Tell him Chance you saw it to im not going stir crazy!"_

Chance eyed his commander and his friend for a moment rubbing his hand nervously over the scope of his rifle. The plane changed everything at least it changed the dynamic the Metro dwellers saw themselves in. Many believed they where the last of humanity left alive on the earth, ever since the radios had gone dead across the world many speculated that they had fallen to some calamity or another and that Russian stubbornness and persistence and the worlds largest nuclear bunker had allowed them to survive this long.

But if people lived possibly beyond Moscow that meant there was land that possibly wasn't tainted by nuclear fallout and other survivors possibly with the means to help repair the metro. Hesitantly Chance nodded and saw Anton's face visibly relax from relief.

Gorbachev's frown only grew however, grunting he pushed himself off of his desk and turned around looking at the map of Moscow that was pinned upon the wall. He stood there silently for some time before turning around again.

"_Im going to have to report this to Miller and D6 command ill send for you when I receive word don't expect a medal or anything they save those for real heroes. Go on your dismissed."_

They didn't need telling twice Anton snapped off a quick salute and they both left leaving the captain and his guard to mull over what was said. They exited into a great hall which had been converted into a garage of sorts men hauled around boxes whilst others worked on fixing up truck and vehicles for the surface.

All the while guards watched over all from the gantries.

Chance had to admit that although the trucks where essentially made from salvage they where a damn site better looking and in many cases more comfy than the contraptions used to get about the metro. In one of them you could go where you liked and not just follow the tracks going forward or backwards.

Their time in the garage was short lived as Anton led them into the mess hall, instantly the smell of cooked meat filled Chances nostrils making his mouth water instantly.

"_Hey... Hey Anton, Nikolai over here!"_

A hand shot up and waved at them beckoning them, Chance knew who it was the instant their names where called out. It was Gruman, he was an ex Hansa caravan guard who had grown bored watching the caravans owner get rich and fat. He eventually joined the order after the battle against Korbut and his men when the Order put a call out for new men to join their ranks. They sat down beside him after they had gathered up their rations and began to dig in as soon as their behinds touched the wooden bench.

Gruman looked at them both as he ran his thumb and index finger over his goatee watching the two of them pig out. He sat there for a few moments a smirk slowly curling across his lips.

"_You two are disgusting" _He mocked as Anton and Chance looked up at him.

"_No where near as disgusting as those mags you keep in your locker Gruman that's not natural!"_ Anton sparked back spraying their Hansa friend with saliva and stew. The three burst out laughing at the inside joke causing a few of those around them to turn from their own conversations and card games.

"_So.." _Gruman began again _"A little rat told me that you two saw something interesting up in your nest come come tell me I have a right to know"_

"_What right is that then?" _ Chance replied as he sopped up the last of is stew with a chunk of hard bread. _"You just want a new story to spread around so people will talk to you"_

Anton chuckled at that still tucking into his his meal. Gruman feigned as if he had been wounded holding his hands against his heart as if he had been shot leaning back only far enough as to not fall of the bench.

"_Come Come now the men need stories to distract them from the beasts and that ghastly siren that simply... will not shut up!" _Gruman leant forward again resting his elbows on the table placing his head in his hands. He wasn't wrong however working at a guard post in the Metro was dangerous enough on the surface was another game entirely. It took it out of you physically and mentally and if you didn't get distractions it was enough to send men crazy.

Chance had seen it one day one of the younger lads simply upped from his seat took off his gas mask and walked out into the red square disappearing into the trees. The worst part was that they never found his body. Moscow was haunted although most Rangers wouldn't admit it.

"_A plane" _Anton replied pushing his bowl from him picking at his crust of bread popping a small amount into his mouth. It was Gruman alone that burst out this time a hearty laugh from the belly. When he saw the others wernt laughing he quickly stopped his smile disappearing in an instant.

"_You cant be serious no one lives beyond the metro never mind knows how to fix up a plane... you two my friends have been smoking some funny mushrooms haven't you?"_

* * *

><p>D6 was always a hive of activity, new recruits came in every day from all over the metro hoping they had what it takes to be a Spartan. It was a hard selection process made only harder now that the Orders operations concentrated even more upon surface operations. Yet the Order needed more than just Spartans to operate. It needed engineers technicians and all manner of other expertise to run smoothly and efficiently.<p>

Those that weren't selected for the Spartan training program had the chance to do other things within the Order and still become a part of the hand of peace in the metro. Miller watched from his wheel chair as a computer technician walked by talking into his head set carrying a computer tablet.

They had found much and more in D6 and even now months had yet to still fully explore the network of storage bunkers that just seemed to go on for ever and ever both up towards the surface and down deeper into the darkness of the metro.

He had turned up for an important meeting taken from his position as captain of Polis guards at least for the moment. His successor was a young man full of energy and ideas, in many ways he reminded him of Artyom in others himself and some times he even saw a hint Khan in him. The man was a believer but also very smart and knew when to keep people who could help him around. After the battle for D6 Miller had expected to have been discharged with honours and left to live out the rest of his live in the bottle.

His Successor had seen to it that he got the position of Captain of the Guards at Polis, It was the very least he could have done for such a distinguished Spartan. Miller was grateful and always gave as best council as he could when he was asked. Miller had been surprised when he was summoned back to D6 however, he was just settling into his new role and hadn't been expecting a return so soon to his old command.

He was pulled from his thoughts as the very man he was thinking about entered the room closely followed by his daughter Anna. You couldnt tell yet but she was pregnant with Artyom's child, Something he still hadn't made up his mind whether he approved or disapproved. Yet he still smiled a soft father smile when she came over to him and embraced him in a hug.

He had not seen her in several months their duties keeping them apart. He gave Anna one last squeeze before letting her go and looking to his successor. Colonel Adrik Korneyev was a tall man, but not as muscled as miller he also lacked the facial scars that set himself apart from so many. He had a shock of short dark brown hair and even darker eyes. A Disarming smile crossed his lips as he stood there holding his hands behind his back.

He eyed them all up one by one measuring their worth and character. It was always hard to take over command from someone who was much loved within the Order. It was even harder to put your own stamp on things. Miller was confident Adrik would be a man who could.

"_Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen ill cut to the chase as we do not have much time. As you might not all be aware a situation has developed on the surface."_

"_There is always a situation on the surface developing..."_

Adrik gave the interrupter a cold stare the promptly shut him up.

"_As I was saying a situation has developed. As of 10 am yesterday morning a look out in the Saint Basils Cathedral outpost spotted aircraft flying over north-western Moscow."_

There where a few grumbles as the new sunk in the people arrayed around the room all of them seasoned soldiers and commanders turned to one another and whispered completely out of character for such seasoned men, it was only Miller and Anna that remained silent through it all but he felt Anna's hand tense on his shoulder.

Adrik let the interruption slip this time, it was a shock to say the least many thought they where the survivors in all of mother Russia and some even the world. To hear that they wernt the last and that those survivors had access to aircraft would have sounded down right bizarre to many. A Fictional story made up by some delusional wind burnt look out.

Miller had his own questions however, none about the reliability of the report, a Spartan was a Spartan and those on the surface where the toughest of the tough. Any report had to have been true, what Miller couldn't grasp was how the aircraft wasn't ripped apart by the razor storms and other harsh weather conditions.

"_Im sure you all understand the implications this can have on the whole of the metro. It is possible that this could bring about change even we could not predict. There fore it is imperative that we find and make contact with these people before any other faction in the Metro._

_It would be folly to assume that the Reich or the Red line don't know of this already. It would be prudent to assume that they are already preparing their own operations regarding the sighting."_

Miller gave him a short slow nod as Adrik looked over to him for a moment pausing to catch his breath. Miller couldn't fault the new commander he was being careful a good trait to have in these times. The Order was operating both on the surface and in many places concerning mutants who had infested some of the more inner stations. In some cases cutting off some of the independent outer stations.

The Order was stretched dangerously thin, and every one knew it, but Polis could not allow the Reich or the Red Line to gain an upper hand in anything. They to where waking up to the perilous situation the metro was in and slowly creeping up to the surface just like the orders years ago. More and more Spartan Stalkers where coming across Fascist and Red scouts so far thankfully without incident.

"_I am authorising a 5 man scout team to ascertain the origin of this aircraft sighting and recon and assess the situation. Its possible these people may be able to help us and the metro."_

"_What if they turn out to be hostile?"_

"_Then we will know to be more careful from now on. We cannot sit behind our blast doors and wish the world away. The Metro may stand for another century perhaps longer but D6s supplies are only so much and the metro is a big place we cannot afford to sit on our arses and watch rats run by." _Adrik replied leaning forward and resting his hands on the table on top of the map of the metro. His smile had turned into a hard line as he pressed his lips together gazing at the map for a few moments before turning to Miller.

"_Miller I want you to find our hero, I want Artyom to lead the expedition I know you think he had been through enough, and earned his rest but I cannot think of another man better suited to the job have him report to me as soon as possible... understood?"_

Miller frowned for amoment but nodded his head regardless. Artyom had given more than most for the cause but Adrik had a point Artyom was the natural choice for this operation, He had weathered the city more than most others he had seen and lived through the unexplainable phenomenons of the world and his philosophical nature ensured that he almost always made the right decision in the end.

"_Yes Colonel ill see to it" _

"_Good then we are done here... dismissed" _Adrik smiled once again straightening himself once again clasping his hands behind his back.

They all filed out slowly going back to their duties. Miller allowed his mind to wander for a moment as he daughter pushed him from the room. She was a good woman and a kind daughter, he time with Artyom had softened her a little it had seemed her experience with Lesnitski and the reds had changed her made her more grateful for those around her.

That and the child in her belly was sending her hormones raging every which way but up.

She pushed him up the walkway in silence he did not try to turn around to look at his daughter he already knew what she was thinking.

"_It will be okay, he will be with some of the finest rangers in the order and plus... that little one will be looking out for him as well."_

Anna stopped for a moment staying silent, causing Miller to turn to look at her. If she was upset she hid it well but then again that came from being the daughter the ex commander of the Polis Rangers. She started pushing him again looking down at him, it was then he saw the single tear roll down her cheek.

He tried to give her a warming smile, despite his macho exterior she was his daughter and he would always care for her no matter what.

"_I know, I just wish I was going with him." _she managed without another tear.

* * *

><p>Chance looked around him, D6 was amazing to look at and watch, on either side of the bore hole elevators moved up and down in spirals taking men to the surface or down into the depths of D6 no doubt to explore the remaining holds and bunkers. He was headed for a different location however, ever since Anton had spotted the aircraft they had been recalled back to D6 to await reassignment. Something was going on and he and Anton where going to be part of it.<p>

The elevator came to a stop and the operator swung the gate open allowing them to step off with a curt nod before moving on further down the levels obviously to pick up others wanting to go up. Anton looked to him and rubbed his hands together.

"_You'd think they would turn the heating on every now and again" _He smirked and blew on his gloved hands just as one of the guards stepped forward, his face hidden behind his assault helmets visor.

"_You two Corporal Nikoli Asimov and Anton Kalinski"_ the guard asked in an obviously bored tone, chances where he had been stood on guard for quite some time now. Anton nodded and stepped forward.

"_Yup thats us! Here for our spa day"_

If the guard found it amusing you couldn't tell he simply shrugged and stepped back motioning for them to progress through the thanked him as they went through into the decontamination chamber, it was standard procedure and with most entrances into D6 having them it kind of became common practice to go through the decontamination it had become second nature to Chance and Anton by this point.

It took but a few moments for the process to complete and they where on their way. Waiting for them on the other side of the chamber was another set of guards waiting to escort them to their final destination. Neither wore masks but both where armed with Kalash assault rifles. Where ever they where going it must have been important.

Through winding corridors and several doors they finally came arrived at their destination. A small barracks room with enough bed to sleep 8 people and store their equipment. Inside where three other Spartans just like them. Two where going about packing their gear whilst the third sat in the far off corner looking at a pair of dog tags. Anton stiffened almost immediately gripping Chances arm tightly mentally stopping himself from saying anything stupid.

"_Nikoli... do you know who that is in the corner!"_

Chance never had time to really look or reply how ever as the other two spotted them and moved over to greet them. The two others couldnt have been any different. One was tall and lean whilst the other was short and bulging with muscles. The taller smiled and shook their hands, a firm but friendly shake.

"_Sergeant Yoris and this is Sergeant Keller nice to meet you. You two must be Nikoli and Anton right?"_

Anton nodded as well well as Chance.

"_They call me Chance"_

Yoris smiled and nodded in understanding, whilst Keller grumbled and moved back to what he was doing. Yoris nodded again before sucking in a deep breath of air and turning back to Anton and Chance placing his hand on Chances shoulder.

"_Where are my manners if you dont know already our glorious leader over there in the corner is Artyom, saver of the metro Rearer of Dark ones and bane of the Red Line, I heard the Fuhrer himself is personal scared of our hero"_

Anton audibly took in a gasp of air as Yoris moved to show Artyom staring up at them both.


	3. Chapter 3: Into the Light

**Authors Notes:**

**Id like to start off and say thank you for the kind remarks about the story I hope that you are all enjoying it so far and that Im able to keep it interesting.**

**First off id like to note that I am trying something with Artyom's character. In that im trying to keep him silent as he is throughout the games at least in terms of speaking. Id like your feed back on how you think this is going and if it doesn't work out to well then ill try something new.**

**Chapter 3: Into the Light**

It never took very long for word to spread around the metro. They said that during the height of the cold war it took just a week for top secret documents to go from the Pentagon to the Kremlin. The speed at which secret information speed at which information spread around the metro made the old cold war agents look lazy and slow.

It never took more than a few days to reach all of the inner stations and no longer than a week to reach the important outer stations. So the factions had taken to acting on their plans quickly with in hours men would be mobilised sent either by foot or cart to their mission in order to try and beat the information leak that was bound to be already making its way to the other factions.

So as it was Pavel found himself listening in on the conversation of two Hansa guards enjoying a little bit of down time.

"_I shit you not Lukas an Aircraft I heard it on the radio, one of the Hansa merchants was reporting in after hearing it from one of the leagues operatives. The Order scouts spotted an aircraft flying over Moscow."_

"_Ahhhh Gregor, the scouts where probably delirious with radiation sickness the order spends far to much time on the surface these days whilst the metro falls down around us. They sit pretty in D6 whilst pissing about on the surface. It shit you not Gregor one day will come when even the Hansa get sick of the Order and they are brought down for good."_

Pavel turned from listening to the conversation to the small glass of vodka in front of him, the bottle not far away half empty by this point. He looked into his cup at the clear liquid distilled behind the bar in the giant distillery that gave the dive of a bar its name. Ever since the Kremlin, no Ever since he had met that Ranger Artyom Pavel had felt a pang of something he could quite place or at least he couldn't until his meeting with him at the Kremlin. When Artyom had elected to save his life instead of take it for all that he had done.

Pavel wouldn't have blamed him if he had taken his life there and then. He had betrayed him after forming a bond many men seldom formed. They had become brothered forged in the fires of hell when they escaped from the Reich and back to the redline. He had felt guilty when they took him but had remained steed fast to General Korbut. It was only as time progressed that Pavel began to realise that he was on the wrong side, that he had been blinded by propaganda and the promises of power and wealth.

It made him feel sick to the stomach just thinking about it. He had betrayed all that he believed in and allowed himself to be lead astray. He downed what was left of his cup of vodka wincing as it burned the back of throat and set his belly alight.

The room was starting to spin the vodka finally kicking in but he didn't care this was the 5th night in a row he had frequented the bar with the intention of forgetting his sins in his drink. He reached for the half empty bottle of Vodka only to have it snatched away in the last second by a gloved hand.

"_Hey! Im... not dfone with thhhat!" _He moved quicker than any drunk man had the right to be but still missed almost falling off his seat in the process.

Grappling with the table he righted himself and sat up holding his hands in his head. For a few moments before looking at the person who had taken his salvation. She was a skinny woman, with flowing fiery red hair done up in a military fashion bun. Skin as pale as moonlight and deep green eyes. Her ruby red lips flashed a a quick smile before she sat down opposite him.

"_My my look how far you have fallen Comrade Mozorov" _She spoke as she picked off her leather gloves and placed them on the table just in front of her before grabbing his glass and pouring herself a drink.

"_I dont know who your talking about" _Pavel replied. He had been in hiding ever since he had found the strength to make it back into the metro. He knew that if he returned to the red line with Korbut gone he would be hanged as a traitor to the revolution. Not that he really wanted to re enter Korbuts services either. So he had chosen to hide on the ring line, the busiest route in the whole of the metro a place where you could hide indefinitely if you kept moving. Something Pavel had neglected to do in order to stay one step ahead.

"_Come come Major" _She spoke just before downing her shot. _"No one can mistake the darling poster boy of the Redline military especially not me your biggest fan" _He smirked again revelling in the sensation rolling down her throat.

"_What do you want I don't serve Korbut any more." _Pavel replied knowing full well he was to drunk to put up a proper fight.

Her eyes seemed to sparkle for a moment in the dim light as she leant forward her smile widening showing a single k9.

"_Comrade Mozorov what I want is you..."_

Pavel never even had a chance to blink as the sack was placed over his head and the but of a rifle cracked against the back of his head. Darkness and silence came together washing over him like a tsunami.

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><p>He stared at them, sunken eyes fixed on them grown hard and cold from all that he had experienced in and out of the Metro. The Warrior Monk himself Artyom saviour of the metro bane of communists and Reich alike. The first of a new breed of human not susceptible to the mind tricks of the Dark ones.<p>

Chance looked at him, jaw hung slightly open at the third member of their team. Both Anton and he stood there transfixed stuck to the spot blocking the entrance to the small room. Time seemed to cease passing for them both as they where engrossed by the colossus sat across from them. Anton fidgeted but chance did not look away he locked his stare with Artyoms for a moment longer before the monk nodded softly and turned away from them holding up a pair of dog tags before him and allowing them to spin on their chain.

Chance noticed the other two chuckling to themselves as they continued to pack, either they had known about this before hand or they simply wernt phased by the feats Artyom had performed. Either way Chance already felt safer at the prospect of having the man along.

"_Are you to going to stand in the door way for ever or do I have to get these fine men to dislodge your sorry arses!"_

Anton and Chance both jumped and moved out of the way instantly, both men stood to either side of the door allowing the woman to move into the room. She was everything a spartan woman needed to be appart from the swollen stomach giving away that she was pregnant. She paid them no more notice and moved towards Artyom who rose instantly. They embraced for a few short moments sharing a short kiss before resting their heads together and closing their eyes.

"_Thats Anna... Dont want to get on the wrong side of her, I heard"_

"_You heard what?" _ Anna was suddenly a hairs lengths away from Anton staring him down, they may have all been Spartans it never stopped one from punching the other when they got on the wrong side of the other.

Chance smirked Anna lived up to her reputation as a ghost even when pregnant she was able to sneak up on someone without them even batting an eyelash. Chance had worked for years trying to perfect his own technique. In many ways he looked up to Anna although he wouldn't admit it.

"_That...That your the most badass Spartan in the metro?" _Anton whimpered pushing back against the door. Anton may have been build like a brick house and the most reliable partner in a fire fight, but when it came to strong women he fell apart.

Anna stared at him for a few more moments before stepping back and glaring at him, before looking to Chance and the SVD slung over his shoulder. It looked as if she was about to ask a question but decided not to. Instead she composed herself and cleared her throat.

"_Im here to give you your orders. The Colonel regrets that he couldn't be here himself but he was called to Polis unexpectedly. You five have been picked to go on a mission of up most importance, Anton and Nikoli(Chance) here a few days ago spotted what they and command believes was an aircraft flying over Moscow."_

"_An aircraft who would be dumb enough to fly in this age the Razor wind alone would rip you to shreds up there." _Yoris stood by his bunk arms crossed looking just as sceptical as Keller who continued to pack.

"_Thats initially what we believed but ranger teams on the field confirmed the sightings. It was last seen heading North by North west. We believe it was a short range aircraft so couldn't have gotten far if it wasn't taken down by one of the freak storms. Artyom will be leading the expedition you are to follow him and report back everything you learn. _

_This will be an extended op so make sure you pack plenty of filters rations and make sure your Geiger's are working. We aren't going to come after your sorry arses if you get into trouble."_

Anna looked them all over once before turning back to her husband to be and father of her child. He embraced him one more time before taking her leave clearly more upset than she was trying to let on. It was always hard for anyone to let their loved one wander around on the surface, usually it was to dangerous to to spend more than an hour on the surface for fear of radiation poisoning and the attack of mutants.

Chance couldn't lie to himself they where being sent on what was essentially a suicide mission, that was why they had no back up or no rescue option. If they returned alive that was all well and good and if they didn't well the metro would go on regardless. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind he couldn't allow himself to think like that for the moment he did he was doomed never to return to the metro.

The city or the wilderness beyond it would swallow him up like a small plaything.

* * *

><p>"<em>You do realise what you are doing is equal to a suicide mission Colonel?"<em>

Adrik looked on emotionless as the council looked down upon him, from their seats. The Council of Polis meant well and where at least to Adrik the only real shining light in the metro with no real ulterior motive other than to see humanity survive into the next century. However it was this motive that sometimes clouded their judgement.

To some on the Council ever life was so precious that it never warranted to be put under threat under no circumstance. Others where more forward looking and it was those that had stayed quite during his grilling. The Council had called him to Polis because of the reports that he was sending out a search party for the confirmed sighting of an aircraft over Moscow.

He wouldn't deny it, even as they spoke the five man team was preparing to depart from the D6 Entrance to the surface. It was to risky for them to ride to the lines to the edges of the city. Bandits the Reich even the Red Line would no doubt try to stop them for what ever reason. Even with the Order rebuilding its numbers it was still depleted by the attack several months ago, and with a lot of its forces now concentrating on surface operations in orders to bring in new materials and resources to fix the metro. Or at least stop it from falling down even more, it was up to Polis and its allies to defend itself at least for the time being and let Adrik and his commanders do their job for the good of the whole metro.

He looked up to one of the viewing galleries, locking eyes with Miller. The old commander had a fiercely stubborn look about him today, almost as if he was judging Adriks every move. He looked again to the council before him and clasped his hands behind his back standing straight.

"_Me and my Spartans swear and oath to this metro, to protect it and make sure its population do not come to harm from mutants or other outside threats. We are simply doing our mandate as decreed to us in the early days after the collapse of the interim council. _

_You all know the state of the Metro, it is a ruin and it is only us who are even trying to help it from falling down on top of us. I am simply ensuring the continued survival of the human race, we confirmed a sighting of an aircraft obviously not of any of the powers of the Metro. It is my duty and everyone of my rangers duties to ensure that this monumental sighting isnt the precursor to some external entity obviously better off than us._

Adrik looked to the council the old men so adamant on saving life had backed down somewhat grumbling to themselves, like angry old men did.

"_Do you believe that this could be a precursor to an invasion Colonel?"_Another of the younger more pro active council members asked sitting forward from his own position.

"_I do not wish to comment at this moment all I will say is that our rangers saw an aircraft and that we are going to investigate it." _Adrik nodded in his steadfast determination and looked up into the viewing gallery, he looked for miller but this time he was gone.

* * *

><p>Before them stood the final protection from the surface several inches of iron, and hydraulics. The every things that had kept them safe for so long in their new underground home. The gates where revered in many ways by some they where the only life line some stations had against the hordes of mutants.<p>

The five of them stood silently looking at the gate, each one saying a silent prayer in an attempt to ensure that they made it home alive. For all the bravado and manliness they had put out before reaching the gate they where all afraid that this would be their last mission.

Chance looked at the other four all stood next to him in an almost perfect line. The only one of their group who had remained silent for the whole duration was Artyum their Warrior Monk hadnt joined in with their japes. He found himself wondering how the man was meant to lead them when he didn't speak a word.

The other two would do it for him he supposed, he and Anton where the lowest ranking members of their five man squad placing them on the bottom of the food chain as it where. If they hadn't had the first hand experience of seeing the aircraft and where it was heading he doubted they would have ever been allowed to climb down from their next atop St Basils cathedral.

Chance looked up as the light atop the massive blast door began to flash, red and ominous it was soon followed by a loud creaking as the doors hydraulics got to work. The sound of scraping metal echoed for a few moments before the door finally stopped resisting.

It opened pretty quickly after that, parting like the red sea. Cold air rushed into the room as it howled through the space. Two heavily armoured guards stepped out first, their flamers at the ready as they checked the immediate area for any signs of mutants. Chance checked his sniper rifle and patted it softly in an attempt to reassure himself. The guards came back in after a few more moments.

"_All Clear good luck out there"_

Chance took a deep breath and looked down the line at Anton and the rest of the group. Artyom was the first to take a step forward Gas mask obscuring his face, he walked forward clutching his assault rifle. His move gave the others the confidence to move as well, first Anton then Keller and Yoris and finally himself. Each of his steps seemed to echo in his head as he made them, the sound bouncing around as if he was walking through an empty hallway wearing jackboots.

Chance stopped on the thresh hold before the gate watching the others as they moved on ahead. Looking down at the line and then back to the others, taking another deep breath Chance stepped over the line into the City of Moscow.


	4. Chapter 4: Its Greener on the Other Side

**Authors Notes**

**Hello again everyone, first of all an apology for taking so long to get this chapter out. Alot has gone on in my life but ill save you that long and boring story, simple version is I lost my creative mojo for a bit but now im getting back into the swing of things and should pick up the pace again soon.**

**As for this chapter I Hope you enjoy it, Ive been wanting to write this chapter ever since I started writing the story. I know its not as long as the others but it furthers the story and allows me to progress in the various arcs that ive got planned. I hope you enjoy it and once again any constructive feed back is more than welcome.**

**Enjoy.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Its Greener on the Other Side<strong>

The Sound of the Siren was ominous and ghostly, it gave Moscow that extra feeling of dread that sealed its name as the dead city. Intermittently it would sound off, two decades of neglect and wasting away had turned its once crisp siren into a whale that sounded as ghostly as the shadows that stalked the city.

Millions had died in the fires and the times afterwards, almost the entire population of the once great city wiped out. It made Chance sad just looking around him at the burnt out cars the foliage starting to creep through the cracks in the tarmac of the road. The skyscrapers battered and ruined looking like they would fall down any moment. The five of them had made good time despite the uneven terrain and the constant threat from the sky and the ground.

Once the roads leading out of the cities used to be flat, now they where mountains all by themselves. Without the constant maintenance sections of the under city had fallen in sewers and even parts of the metro had collapsed under the strain of the dead city turning the flat landscape into a series of fissures, holes and cliff faces. Chance stepped up onto a ledge and peered in the direction they where heading, destruction and more destruction as far as the eye could see. He was on point his keen eye as a marksmen and his agility and lean physic made him the ideal candidate. His job was to look out for danger and find the best path through the ruins of Tverskaya Street. Once upon a time it would have been the most direct route out of Moscow, the six lane street headed directly north by Northwest and was the main junction for any Muscovite heading towards Saint Petersburg. Chance wondered if anything remained of the ancient city once home to the TSARs of old. It was an important port back before the war and a major military basing for the motherlands navy.

It had been so long since he had seen a working boat other than the rafts that made their way through the metros network of underwater rivers. A real navy ship resplendent and true floating in the bay. That would have been a site to see a relic from a time past.

The whaling of the siren brought him from his thoughts urging him on. Chance clambered up and over more ledges closely followed by the other four of their party. They mostly walked in silence out of nerves Chance figured at least that's what it was for him, he was to busy constantly on the lookout for mutants or red or fascists that he had no time to talk only hand signals that he was taught back in basic training.

Clambering over a car and resting on his belly he crawled forward keeping himself concealed in the brush. Down below was their first real test Tverskaya metro, chance took a deep break and looked through his scope surveying the area for any threats. Tverskaya was Fascist territory although they rarely left the safety of the metro, they still ranged from the station. With things getting increasingly desperate down under all the factions where starting to go onto the surface more frequently in hopes of finding anything that may help them keep the metro from caving in.

Chance never believed the official reports how ever the Fascists where purists and where always up to no good even if it was the reds that proved to be the more dastardly this time around. Things where at a stalemate for the moment at least although the fascists had the slight advantage of not wasting men on assaulting D6, and now that they wernt warring with the reds they where concentrating on expanding their influence in the independent stations.

The coast looked clear at least for the moment the area was once a small square at an intersection with roads going east and west as well as north and south back to the red square. Now it was a quagmire and no doubt mined and booby trapped by the Fascist stalkers. Keller crawled up next to him and patted him on the shoulder.

"_What do you see?" _

Chance looked to him and shook his head _"Nothing so far looks clear"_

Keller nodded and motioned for Chance to follow him back down to the ledge no doubt where everyone else was waiting.

Dropping down to the others Keller was already confuring with Artyom and Yoris, Anton managed a weary smile before moving over to Chance and patting him on the back. _"Don't suppose the Fascists would just let us walk on by?" _

Chance simply shook his head, he kept silent trying to listen to what the three where saying but the wind was to loud, it whistled through the dead husks of cars and through the cracks in the road, the screeches of mutants in the buildings echoed faintly in the background whilst over head on the the winged daemons fly high above them.

It didn't take long for a decision to be reached Artyom stood there silently listening to Keller and Yoris's suggestions before making up his mind. The two NCOs nodded at his inaudible order before Yoris moved over to them placing his kalash on his shoulder.

"_We go around, there's a storm coming and we dont want to get stuck in the middle of the Fatherland when that hits."_

Chance felt Anton stiffen next to him, he had heard the mutants and knew of the stories of the souls that inhabited the dead city. It was enough to give grown men nightmares and those that actually experienced it never where the same again. Yoris moved off and Chance simply placed a hand on Anton's shoulder patting it heavily.

"_Ive got your back"_

* * *

><p>Pavel had tried hard to keep track of where he was taken, which intersections he turned left and right any inclines or declines he felt that may have given away how deep he was being taken into the metro. How ever after an hour he had lost track of where he was, he had mentally berated himself for the drunken state he had allowed himself to slip into and allowing himself to believe that he was safe even for a few hours.<p>

Now he was sat on a metal chair in some room just waiting for something to happen to him. His kidnappers had left the hood over his head and left him, obviously waiting till he had sobered up enough to be of any use to them.

The hangover was worse than torture, a product of poor quality moonshine vodka from the sink hole he had planted himself into. A splitting pain coursed through his head whilst his stomach roiled and churned, his tongue felt like it had grown a coat of fuzz whilst he sweated out the last of the alcohol in his system.

The Faint creek of the door opening was the first indication that Pavel was no longer alone with the rats that scuttled around his feet. Then the heavy boots came entered the burgeoning symphony of sounds soft thuds echoing around the room as they moved ever closer to him.

A Rough hand grabbed his shoulder before quickly whipping off the hood from his head. The shock change in his environment stung his eyes forcing him to close them as more pain seared through his skull.

_Not a good day to be me_

Pavel thought to himself as the light from the single paraffin lamp on the table made his head swim. Slowly he opened his eyes making sure that he adjusted to the light in a manner that didn't cause him to want to scream out in pain.

The first thing he noticed was the smell of actual paraffin, good quality paraffin at that, The stuff usually reserved for higher ranking officials of the Red line, It wasn't the sort of swill that had been used for years that many claimed to be just as good. It had that sweet smell that didn't burn your nose hairs if you got to close. Who ever had taken him was obviously well connected or had gotten lucky and found or raided a cache at some point.

"_Ahhhh Colonel your alive I did wonder for a moment if you where going to survive the night you where in quite a state."_

The woman from before stepped out of the shadows he red hair almost looking like fire in the flickering light of the lamp. She sat on a chair opposite him and slowly took off her black leather gloves on finger at a time. Pavel only grunted at her looking about him, The room was small each corner cast in shadow a single man dressed in old camouflage and a black balaclava stood by the door his hands clasped behind his back.

He was definitely a military man but his uniform bore no insignias he apparently wasn't part of any of the major parts of the metro even when all of his equipment screamed that he should be. More interesting was the woman sitting opposite him how ever she carried an air of authority he saw in few people in fact she carried her self remarkably like his ex commanding officer. She stared at him her green eyes focused on his her now bare hands clasped together in front of her.

She was strikingly beautiful a soft face hid the cold emotional calculator that Pavel knew laid underneath. For all her beauty she was ugly on the inside harden to the world around her a user and a killer, a harpy in human form.

"_What do you want? If its information I don't know anything any more." _croaked Pavel as he realised just how dry his mouth was, working his tongue around the mouth he drummed up some saliva and swallowed. It wasn't entirely true Pavel knew a great deal of things about the Order the Reich and the Red Line. He even knew some sensitive information about the Hansa, most of it probably outdated or changed but some of it useful.

She made a mocked pang of pain cross her face before giving him a fanged smile. "_Oh Colonel you presume we don't already know everything you do. No No We need you for something much more important something more suited to your expertise."_

She leaned forward producing a small passport photo out of nowhere and pushed it across the table to him.

"_We want you to track this man"_

Pavel took one look and felt his blood turn cold, he looked at her a single thought raced through his head.

_Artyom._

* * *

><p>The sound of children playing outside filled the air coming through the window. The warm summers breeze caressed Chance's face as he looked out over the court yard listening to the rustle of the leaves. It was bliss just feeling the soft wind and listening to the children play down below their laughter rising falling.<p>

"_My husband is out of town for the week... so im all yours"_

Chance turned to see the woman standing half naked before him wrapped only a small very sexy piece of lingerie. The red of the clothing only seemed to make her tanned skin look darker. Her Chocolate brown hair fell down past her shoulders stopping just before her breasts. She gave him a coy smile and walked up to him making sure she shook her hips with every step.

Chance drank it all in she was beautiful, her touch sent shivers down his spine as she pushed herself against him pressing their lips together in the passionate embrace. He felt her tug at his clothing puling him from the window where he felt the cool summer breeze and towards the bed on the opposite side of the room. She smiled again as she pushed him against the bed causing him land on his back the springs causing him to bounce a little as he landed, she quickly followed climbing on him that same mischievous smile on her face.

She embraced him with a kiss once again as she moved his hands over her sides before resting them on her hips. The kiss became more intense as she tugged at his cloths once again urging him to disrobe. Chance was ready to comply when the thunder struck close and loud causing himself and the woman to look up towards the window.

Before he knew it the woman was screaming a blood curdling scream, he turned to her in horror as he watched her writhe in pain her skin boiling before his eyes sloughing off of her and bubbling around her, she clawed at her face her eyes bleeding and her hair falling out. She stretched out for him still screaming as the skin on her cheeks melted away to reveal the bone. Chance resisted the urge to scream himself and pushed her away.

The lightning cracked once again and Chance bolted up, the room was dark and quite save for the rain battering the windows, around him stood Anton Artyom and the rest of his party looking down at him with expressions of concern.


End file.
